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22 | February 15, 2017 |

22 | February 15, 2017 | Malibu surfside news Life & Arts malibusurfsidenews.com Glass draws inspiration from Malibu to craft one-of-a-kind art Barbara Burke Freelance Reporter Fond memories from one’s youth often inform the roadmap for a person’s life’s work. Glass The lovely drive along Kanan Dume Road that allows one to leave the chaos and cacophony of the city and gently make one’s way through rolling hills and canyons down to the sea at Point Dume serves as the inspiration for artist Andrew Glass, whose intriguing abstract works were recently on display at the Agora Gallery in the Chelsea art district in New York City. The exhibit, “Emerging Visions,” focused on artists who innovate, who reach, who make the viewer reach, who educate with detail. “When I was in college, I worked in the summer on Kanan Dume Road as a mason working on the marquee at the Morrison Estate,” Glass said. “It was so hot in the summer that I’d drive to Point Dume down Kanan Dume Road and sleep on the beach. It’s a nice drive. Now, I take my boys on that drive when they go to surf camp, and they’re always excited to see the ocean.” Glass’ works are deconstructed and then reconstructed. “I used to deconstruct canvases, but now I use wood,” he said. “I’m really particular. I am a flat board artist, I don’t work on an easel.” Many of Glass’ pieces are created by sawing apart and then rearranging painted panels. Glass is a material artist, and his work requires Pictured is “Ocean Mystique,” an oil on birch piece created by Malibu abstract artist Andrew Glass. Photos Submitted a viewer to dig deeper with him in order to understand the essence of his message. Inspired by grammatologist Jacques Derrida, a French philosopher known for his development of deconstructionism, Glass breaks apart the language of his paintings, reducing the works to the lowest denominator to explore their meaning. In his process, he uses several power tools, deconstructing not just his paintings, but art history itself. “I am influenced by Richard Diebenkorn,” Glass said, referring to the American painter who is famous in part for abstract expressionism. “He took from Matisse in his works.” Glass affably took Malibu Surfside on a tour of his home gallery, pointing out the evolution of his work. Glass’ works are bright tile-shaped pieces of various dimensions, now often done on birch wood, and made with oil or acrylic. He often uses muted hues, but somehow they pop, shining right at an onlooker, “Kanon Dume,” a piece by Malibu artist Andrew Glass, is pictured. inviting them to look closer and to do what many do not do when they look at artwork. To think. To carefully observe. To wonder, “What is this artist saying?” Glass’ works often depict that wonderful Kanan Dume drive and its gorgeous Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific to which it leads. His work “Ocean Mystique,” an oil on birch, evokes that gentle swaying of waves when one wades in the ocean on an idyllic day. “Mulholland Color,” another oil on birch, is a beautiful work depicting the variant and radiant colors one sees there. When asked why he uses birch so often, Glass responds that it is a strong material. He does, after all, get physical with his work. Glass has exhibited up and down the Pacific Coast, and his works are in private collections overseas. Glass’ works are not just an ordinary abstract. If the viewer digs really deep, they’ll find their inner meaning. Getting mellow enough to take the time to do so could start with a drive that Glass highly recommends. One that never gets old and that is close by: that lovely drive on Kanan Dume Road that ends at the crystal blue sea. For more information on Andrew Glass’ artwork, visit andrewglassgallery. com.

malibusurfsidenews.com Life & Arts Malibu surfside news | February 15, 2017 | 23 Malibu Middle School’s show delights, inspires Barbara Burke Freelance Reporter Malibu Middle School performed Shrek this past weekend, thrilling and delighting audiences and offering important life lessons about individuality, empathy, tolerance and acceptance. From the opening of the curtain to the final rendition of “I’m a Believer,” the student actors did not miss a beat. “‘Shrek the Musical’ has inspired me to not care about what people think and be myself,” said seventhgrader Johnny Sheridan, who played Shrek. “Many people are afraid to be themselves because they think they are too weird. The fairy tale creatures are sent to the swamp because Lord Farquaad wants a perfect kingdom. There is no such thing as perfect and everyone has something freakish about them. Let your freak flag fly!” Director Brigette Leonard, aided by Amanda Kofsky, assistant director, and Krysta Sorenson, musical director, guided the group of talented students who, with accompaniment from Cha Cha McNaughton, took the audience on an impressive, fun-filled ride for the entire evening. The play opened with 7-year-old Shrek being told that it was time for him to go out into the world on his own, and that he better be cautious because everyone will dislike and ostracize him since he is an ogre. Sheridan, joined by Mama Ogre (Scarlett Steinberg) and Baby Ogre (Ethan Marshall) sang “Big Bright Beautiful World” superbly. Banished to the swamp, Shrek grows up isolated and bitter until he is interrupted by a gaggle of creatures who have been banished to his swap: Big Bad Wolf (Bailey Mathews), Wicked Witch (Steinberg), Mama Bear (Emma Carroll), Papa Bear (Jersie Byford), Baby Bear (Madison Ford), Peter Pan (Gabi Kofsky), Ugly Duckling (Marshall), the three little pigs (Elle Baker, Anita Lopez Vita and Waverly Wildman), a fairy (Charlotte White), the Pied Piper (Sofia Banducci) and Pinocchio (Lauren Reed). Reed is no stranger to the stage, having held parts in “Cats,” “Peter Pan,” and played Darcy in “Darcy’s Cinematic Life” for Young Actors Project. “Playing Pinocchio was so much fun,” Reed said. “It was challenging being a puppet, but I loved it in the end. Miss Leonard brings out the best acting in us and is such an awesome acting coach and show director. I especially love working with the cast and crew. We all share the same passion. Shrek rocks!” Shrek, wanting none of having new neighbors, vows to confront Farquaad so he can regain his solitude. Sheridan, a talented young actor who knows how to command a stage — he has played Peter in “Peter Pan,” Link Larkin in “Hairspray,” Prince Charming in “Cinderella,” and Eddie Flagrante in “Zombie Prom” — belted out a flawless rendition of “The Goodbye Song.” As Shrek sets out on his trek to confront Farquaad, he encounters a loquacious and slightly irritating donkey, played flawlessly by Lola Weber. After much cajoling by Donkey, and Weber’s excellent performance of “Don’t Let Me Go,” the reluctant Shrek lets Donkey join him on his journey. At the castle, Farquaad tortures Gingy (Byford), a gingerbread man with attitude, so he will reveal the whereabouts of Princess Fiona whom he wants to marry so he can become a King. Gingy finally reveals that Princess Fiona is imprisoned in a tower surrounded by lava and protected by a dragon (Camille Anneet). Farquaad decrees there will be a festival to choose who will go save Princess Fiona so she can be his bride. The kingdom’s citizens gather for the festival as Shrek and Donkey come upon the scene, and Farquaad orders Shrek to retrieve Fiona from the tower in exchange for a deed to the swamp. The scene segues to 7-year-old Fiona (Ford), isolated in the tower, dreaming of being rescued by a prince. Fiona grows in front of the audience, developing into a beautiful teen (Ornella Wolf), and then into an adult (Ava Ray). All three Fionas sang “I Know It’s Today” eloquently. Shrek leaves Donkey alone and goes to fetch Fiona, whereupon Donkey encounters a ferocious Dragon and some knights who were captured in previous unsuccessful attempts to reach the Princess. Dare to Dream Theater provided costumes for the production, and its Dragon costume — bright purple in color, massive in size, and superbly created — was one of the highlights of the show. Shrek finally reaches Fiona who, with schoolgirl-like romantic notions, attempts Director Brigette Leonard (back, middle) is surrounded by the cast for “Shrek the Musical Jr.” Suzy Demeter/22nd Century Media to get him to play out the romantic encounter she has long envisioned. However, the recalcitrant Shrek wants to get on with the business of getting her to the castle so he perfunctorily makes her leave. As the trio begins their excursion back to the castle, Fiona is appalled to find that Shrek is not a knight in shining armor suitor, but is instead an ogre. Shrek explains she is to wed Farquaad. As nightfall approaches, Fiona insists on retiring and it is here that the audience first sees that at night, due to a witch’s spell, she transforms into a hideous ogress. Shrek reveals to Donkey that he is sweet on Fiona, but he is pessimistic about giving overtures because he is an ogre. Intermission made for impressed audience members of all ages. “I liked Princess Fiona!” little Mabel Rose Brostowicz said. “The costumes were fancy!” Mabel’s friends Jonah and Augie Frank agreed. “I liked all of it. All of it was my favorite,” Jonah said. “I liked the music and the costumes,” Augie chimed in. Andrew Nickerson, of Malibu, agreed. “I think this production is amazingly good. The kids are all very talented and have great voices,” he said. “But most of all, what is impressive is the energy here tonight. The kids are having a great time.” Act II did not disappoint. Fiona meets the new day engrossed with idyllic images of her wedding day. However, she is soon deflated by Donkey and Shrek’s jokes about Farquaad’s verticality challenges. Shrek mocks Fiona’s complaints about having a challenging childhood, resulting in the pair vying for the dubious award for worst childhood (“I Think I Got You Beat”), and a sequence of exchanging disgusting, but hysterical, bodily emissions. This is when the pair begins to hit it off. Donkey and three adorably clad birds, bedecked in sequins and feather plumages dangling from their derrieres, try to convince the shy Shrek to express his love to Fiona. However, sunset looms and before Shrek musters the courage to do so, Fiona abruptly announces she is retiring for the night. When Donkey persists with Fiona, following her to where she has retreated, wishing to address the subject of Shrek and her being attracted, he witnesses Fiona’s transformation into an ogress. She tells him that a kiss is the only thing that will purge the curse a witch has cast upon her. A smitten Shrek tries to get the courage up to tell Please see sHrek, 27